Life is Sh*t
Over the last several weeks I have been purposefully trying to foster in myself a more "Zen" -like disposition. I do not mean this in the truly "Zen" fashion, probably, but what I am using "Zen" to mean at the moment, is that I am trying to foster in myself a greater acceptance of "what is".
In my inner-self, I know that I have a pretty strong tendency to rail against things that bother or aggravate me. I tend to want to dig my heels in and push back against things that I feel are wrong or are injustices or are just damn annoying in life. And, in some fashion this *is* helpful. In part this is what had helped me a) exercise for so many days (3000+ days and counting, I will have to backtrack soon and give an actual number), b) made me stubborn enough that I have given up my beloved pipes and pipe tobaccos for 11 months now, c) and this has helped me in various other pursuits (hell, it is probably instrumental in my sticking with and completing my doctoral education so many decades ago as well, even when I wasn't really wanting to for a while). So... being a stubborn old fool HAS served me well in several venues.
BUT.... I have also been growing more and more aware that being that stubbornly determined to rail against things I did not like is also at times a) exhausting, b) not always helpful, and c) consumes a helluva lot of time. So, as I stated above, during the last several weeks I have been trying to be more conscious of not needing to rail against every possible issue. And, I can accept as simply "what is" for many day-to-day aspects of life that while not joyous, are just.... "what is".
So, back to sh*t. I have grown to realize in my attempt at this form of "Zen" that even though it is not the most pleasant thing to admit.... fecal matter is a necessary and significant focus in my life and has been for decades. Here is what I mean.... there are so many times each and every week if not every day that I have to focus on feces in one fashion or another:
1. A part of my research involves some study of the feces produced by my rodents. Fecal analysis has been a segment of my physiology research since way back in graduate school. It just is a part of what I need to do with my research. It is not the primary focus (fortunately), but it is a part.
2. When my kids were young, as any parent knows, bowel movements by the kids are an important indicator of potential health concerns. And, so, in addition to the many, many years of diaper changes that occurred when the kids were babies, there was the potty training period,and even later where I had to be cognizant of their fecal output and qualities.
3. And, as pet owners, we have had various cats in our home over the years. As the male, the husband, it fell into my household duties to be the person in our home to be the catbox cleaner and the fellow in charge of its upkeep. So, another nearly immutable link to fecal matter has been a part of my life in this regard.
4. The dog (or dogs over the years).... the dog also has guided my life to be more intimately associated with feces. There of course was the potty training of the dog, and the predictable, scheduled getting the dog out into the yard to do her duties.... and the inevitable weekly cleanup I would have to do on garbage collection day as well. And, because it is the norm where I live, when I take the dog for a walk or now a run, I have to always keep with me, disposable plastic gloves and bags to collect her "movements" as we traverse along a path. The intimate link I have with feces became even more apparent during the Holidays this past month when my dog came down with a bout of colitis. Her colitis manifested itself in loose, nearly projectile, liquid movements, that gave me additional work and responsibilities. Fortunately a veterinarian prescribed antibiotic has returned her colon to regularity and that added "sh*tty" aspect of my day has been reduced.
5. And, of course as my wife and I have aged, awareness of variances in our own "habits" has become more a point of "interest" too.
So, as you can see... I am trying to just accept "what is" in regard to all this sh*t in my life.
PipeTobacco
3 Comments:
LOL! I know so much poop can be aggravating but you wrote a wonderful essay on it. I wasn't aware that your research involved rodents; that is intriguing.
As an aside, I've always been the litter box cleaner in our house. My husband dealt with enough *crap* at work :)
Eckhart Tolle has a book called the Power of Now that addresses accepting what is. You might enjoy it.
The next time you go through one of your bouts of self-doubt, wondering, "Am I good enough?" or "Am I doing enough?", just think of this: From the broadest standpoint of ecology, you and your fellow human beings have just one vital role to play. Your job is to convert biomass into fecal matter. Everything else is a luxury or a detail.
In other words, kind sir, you are doing just fine. No sh!t!
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